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[Page 510]

Meerholz, Germany
(a village, today a part of the
city of Gelnhausen in the region of Main-Kinzig)

Translated by Jerrold Landau

Year

Number of Residents

Number of Jews

Percent Jewish

1790

534

93

17.4

1835

117

1850

798

110

13.8

1861

891

99

11.1

1871

900

110

12.2

1885

824

84

10.2

1905

874

67

7.7

1925

986

55

5.6

1933

1,004

32

3.3

Religious Affiliation by Percentage in the year 1925

Jews

Catholics

Protestants

Others

5.6

3.6

90.5

0.3

History of the Community

Jews lived in Meerholz in 1683, and during the 18th century, there was a cheder for the children of Meerholz and the communities of Niedergrundau, Rothenbergen, Roth and Lieblos (see their entries). In the middle of the18th century, the Jews of these villages seceded and formed their own community in Lieblos.

The community of Meerholz had an elementary school. In 1855, 40 Jews of Meerholz, Niedermittlau (22 people in 1885[1]), Neuenhasslau, Hailer and Somborn (see entries) studied there. 22 students remained about ten years later. In 1873, there were 30, in 1901  13, and in 1921  6. In 1873, the school moved from its old, dilapidated building to a new building, through the efforts of the teacher Immanuel Neu (1847-1874). After him, Shmuel Birk (1838-1929) served as the teacher, cantor and shochet (ritual slaughterer). He retired on pension in 1908. The school was closed in 1926, and the Jewish teacher served only as a religion teacher.

During the time of the Weimar Republic, four of the Jews of Meerholz owned textile shops, and the rest were  cattle traders, butchers (2), a baker, and several pensioners. The grain merchant Leo Stern owned horse stables, the only truck in the region, and a private car driven by a driver. The horse merchant Ferdinand Stern was also among the wealthy people of the town. 55 local Jews lived in 18 houses, most of them on two streets.

The community of Meerholz had a synagogue and mikva (ritual bath), and conducted kosher slaughter. The plan to reopen the school in 1932 did not come to fruition because of the change of regime. At that time, four children studied religious studies from the teacher, cantor and shochet Leopold Strauss. The head of the community was the baker Leopold Perlsheim, and the head of the Central Union chapter in Meerholz was Leo Stern. The community belonged to the regional rabbinate of Hanau. Three families (13 souls ) from Niedermittlau, where the regional Jewish cemetery was located, were part of the community.

Under Nazi Rule

The window panes of the Jewish homes were shattered in September 1934, and in October the brothers Peretz and Michael Perlsheim were sentenced to imprisonment. The cemetery in Niedermittlau was desecrated in 1935 and again in 1938. Most of the Jews left Meerholz within a few years. In 1937, nine Jewish families remained, and the head of the community Leo Stern sold the synagogue. The holy objects were brought to Frankfurt.

No Jews were left in the city in 1939. 13 members of the community immigrated to the United States, a few went to Holland, and the rest moved to other cities in Germany.

The synagogue was demolished in the 1960s, and residential dwellings were built in its place. The school building also serves as residential dwellings today. Today, the cemetery in Niedermittlau (3,211 square meters) is located in the bounds of the towns of Hasselroth.

Translator's Footnotes

Seemingly referring to the Jewish population rather than the number of students. Return